Eating with Sinners

May 23

(Acts 11:1-3 NIV) "The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. {2} So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him {3} and said, "You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them."

(Mark 2:15-17 NIV) ""While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. {16} When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" {17} On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.""

Peter experienced a great spiritual breakthrough at the house of Cornelius. God had opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles. But when Peter got home, he faced the scrutiny of the religious community because he had gone to the home of “sinners” and ate with them. Instead of being thrilled that lost people had come to Christ, these nitpickers were offended that Peter went to them in the first place. Peter’s consolation was that they had said the same thing about Jesus. Jesus received the same criticism for going where the “sinners” were and ministering to them. He even once said that they were why he came into the world -- He came to save sinners. If God calls us, we should not refuse to minister to those that religionists consider “unclean”. Be certain it is the call of God and not of your flesh, but wherever God sends us, we go. We set a guard upon our hearts and we go. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day